Introduction

What is this?
PROLE is an analog adventure game where
one player, the Moderator, conveys an imagined
world and the other players explore that world
through characters called Player Characters
(or PCs).

The Moderator describes the world and any

non-player characters to the players, and the
players in turn describe how their PCs behave.

Required Materials
To play PROLE, each player needs a pencil, a coin, and a
character sheet (you can photocopy the back of this book or
print the digital file from Highland Paranormal Society).

The Moderator needs some kind of adventure prepared—

either one of their own making or a published module from
a reputable publisher such as Highland Paranormal Society.

Art, words & design by Nate Treme. Edited by Jared Sinclair.

The Rules
RESOLVING UNCERTAIN ACTIONS
When a PC attempts an action where the
outcome is uncertain, the player flips a coin.
Heads means success. If they have talent in
a relevant skill (indicated by at least one
checked box next to the skill), they can
attempt the coin flip an additional time for
each box checked.

Example 1: A PC attempts to jump over a gap between rooftops, to

determine if they make the jump, the player flips a coin. It’s tails, which means
failure, but their PC has a box checked next to their skill so they make an
additional coin flip. This time they get heads! They successfully make the jump!

Example 2: A PC drinks poisoned root beer! To attempt to resist the

poison’s effects, the player must make a flip. They don’t have any boxes
checked next to the skill so they only have one chance. They get tails—the
character dies! The player makes a new PC, or they continue with the same
character but as a ghost! I don’t know. Discuss with the Moderator how death
works in this world.
SKILLS
The six pictograms on the character
sheet represent the areas of skill in
which a PC might have talent. They
are abstract and open to interpretation.
Part of the Moderator’s job is
determining if a skill is
relevant to an action. If a
skill’s relevance is unclear, I
encourage the Moderator to favor the
Players. I encourage Players to think
of creative actions that use their
PC’s talents—play to your
character’s strengths!
Here are some suggested areas where each skill might
be relevant. As Moderator, you might interpret these
differently—that’s fine, just do your best to be consistent as
you play.

Toughness, surviving injury,

resisting poison and sickness.

Perception, tracking, listening,

aiming.

Recalling knowledge, casting

spells, learning, hacking.

Swiftness, balance, sneaking,

dodging, jumping.

Strength, hitting things,

intimidation.

Charming, performing, acting,

haggling.
Advancement
As a character gains more experience, their skills improve.
After 2 sessions of adventuring, a player may check a skill
box on their character sheet, then another after 5 sessions,
another after 8 sessions, and one final box after 10 sessions.

Advantage & Disadvantage

If a character has significant factors in their favor while
attempting an action,—such as planning, assistance, or luck—
the Moderator may allow them an extra coin flip on the
attempt. If they are attempting an especially difficult action
or have significant obstacles against them, the Moderator
may require two successful flips to accomplish the task.

Pause
Players can always take a break and discuss any troubling
content or behavior that may occur in a game session. If
a player flips their character sheet over, it’s a signal to the
Moderator to come to a stopping point immediately. Players
should discuss and readjust the game as needed. For more
safety tools, look up the free TTRPG Safety Toolkit curated
by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant-Monk.
CREATE A PROLE
On your character sheet, write your character’s name and
check four skill boxes. Use the following coin tables to help
further define your character. H=Heads, T=Tails

temperament
Your character’s general disposition and
personality type. Flip a coin twice to select.

HH Sanguine:
Outgoing, optimistic, impulsive, distractible.

HT Choleric:
Ambitious, confident, aggressive, impatient.

TT Melancholic:
Thoughtful, independent, timid, pessimistic.

TH Phlegmatic:
Calm, curious, indecisive, indifferent.
Background Starting Item
What your character Your character starts with
did before becoming an one of these items.
adventurer, and how much Flip a coin 4 times to select.
money you have.
Flip a coin 4 times to select.
HHHH Plague Refugee, $3 HHHH Ancestor’s Weapon
HHHT Disgraced Noble, $10 HHHT Rusty Bugle
HHTH Snail Farmer, $6 HHTH Sharp Walking Tusk
HTHH Dock Urchin, $2 HTHH Pack Snail
HHTT Flunkee, $4 HHTT Jar of Sticky Syrup
HTTH Exiled Academic, $6 HTTH Notebook and Pen
HTTT Pit Brawler, $3 HTTT Folding 12’ Ladder
HTHT Tea Brewer, $6 HTHT Sour Date Wine
TTTT Church Cantor, $4 TTTT Beetle Lantern
TTTH Book Binder, $7 TTTH Worn Concertina
TTHT Eel Farmer, $6 TTHT Ceremonial Hat
THTT Busker, $3 THTT Whale Bone Knife
TTHH False Prophet, $5 TTHH Wobbly Wheelbarrow
THHT Painter, $5 THHT Smelling Salts
THHH Mudlark, $3 THHH Sack of Dried Figs
THTH Midwife, $5 THTH Fat Goldfish in a Jar
Religion
Your character’s religious affiliation. Their participation may
be nominal or devout, but they start with a relevant item
either way. Religious views can change.
Flip a coin 3 times to select.

HHH Church of Gears

Technological advancement is the holiest pursuit. Order your life like clockwork.
Item: Pocket Watch

HHT Spiritualism
Spirit beings exist and can guide us. We all become spirits after death.
Item: 5 Black Candles

HTT Church Verdant

Plants are God’s firstborn. We live to cultivate them.
We die to nourish them.
Items: Pouch of Seeds and a Trowel

HTH Holy Wheel Of Evolution

The Wheel slowly perfects us. Each child is a new spoke.
Fertility and family are holy.
Item: Compass
TTT Broken Crown
All hierarchies are chains, keeping us from
freedom. All thrones shall be emptied.
Item: Lockpick and 10 Matches

TTH Circle Of The Inverted

Mountain
A cult devoted to studying magic. Reality is a
dream of some kind Membership is secret.
Item: Silver Bell

THH Siblinghood of Stars

We come from the stars, and the stars guide
our lives. We must learn to read them well.
Item: Brass Telescope

THT Materialist
All of reality can be reduced to matter.
All else is a fairy tale.
Item: Flask of Whiskey